Separator and vaporizer for internal-combustion engines



y s. WIRRER SEPARATOR AND VAPORIZER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed April 21. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 4% 03(% ".& lbw x A TTORNEY) 1,629,565 y 24, 1927- e. WIRRER SEPARATOR AND VAPORIZER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed April 21. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT'OR QDWZ A Q aw A T TORNE Y5 efficiency. Generally Patented May 24, 1927.

U NITD ST T ES eases rum rice.

GOTTFRIED \VIRRER, 0F PLAINFIELD, NEE? JERSEY. ASSIGNOR TO liNTERNATIONAL Application filed April 21,

'=ne volatilizing of hydrocarbon fuels for internal combustion engines has presented the diiliculty that While heat must be relied on mainly to effect the volatilization the mix ture should be introduced into the firing chamber at a relatively low temperature commonly known as the dewpoint \vhereat its density is such as to provide in a theoretically fixed gas the maximum thermal speakin vaporization has been aided in known devices by taking up the fuel with heated air or by introducing a hot spot in the inlet manifold. Both of these methods have the disadvantage indicated above in that in both cases reliance is placed upon the adding of heat to the mixture with consequentexpansion thereof and a loss of density,

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for vapou izing hydrocarbons wherein the temperature of the mixture is kept within a predetermined range at all times and consideration given to the wit l'idrawal therefrom of all unevaporated fuel and its vola'tilizat ion and reintroduction into the mixture. In other words, the improvement herein seeks to provide primarily for the vaporization of all unevaipora ted fuel Within the mixture by devices which act only on such uneva-porated portion and insure its return to the inlet manifold after volatilization.

A further object of the invention is to provide an evaporating chamber which shall connect with the inlet manifo ld' and con st-a ntly retain a sufficient quantity of fuel to facilitate starting when the motor is cold and supply a sufiicient quantity of volatilized hydrocarbon for starting so long as the chamber is warm', 'an d perhaps longer.

Still anotherobject is to incorporate in an apparatus of the character describeda'nd for the practice of the improved method. a mechanical deflector to as vst in atomization.

In the improved construction all of the desirable conditions and results mentioned briefly hereinbefore are attained without disturbing the normal metering: of the fuel and the conventional metering devices may be employed advantageously. If desired, conditions surrounding the metering may be controlled to some extent by providing a degree of heat to the metering devices from the improved vaporizer.

Still another objet is to provide suitable Y., A CGRPGRAIION OF DELA'NARE.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

1922. Serial No. 555,845.

means for taking advantage of the fact which is now established that hydrocarbon fuels when submitted to a relatively h g temperature, that is, to any temperature through the approximate range of from 450 to 1435 F. will not crack but will vaporize at a substantially uniform rate at any temperature within that range and without alteration of the physical properties of the gas produced. To this end. the liquid fuel to be vaporized is subjected in the improved method and apparatus to the action of the exhaust gases from the motor.

It will be understood as the description proceeds that the invention is not to be limited to the incorporation of all of the subordinate features enumerated above nor to the precise design illustrated in the drawings and to be described hereinafter by way of e. imple since the method as set out in the claims may be practiced in devices which may differ from those illustrated herein.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a somewhatconventional vicw partly in elevation and partly in vertical section showing the relation of the improved vaporizing chamber to the exhaust and inlet manifolds and to a source of fuel supply.

Figure 2 is a view in section through the vaporizing chamber illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation through the inlet manifold and vaporizing chamber and taken on the plane indicated by the line 38 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a detailed view in vertical sec tion of a fragment of an exhaust manifold of modified construction for practicing the present invention.

The fuel to be vaporized may be supplied as usual through a carburetor indicated con vcmtionall3. at a. a. current 'of air meanwhile entering at 1) and passing;' over the jet (1 for carburetion. The primary air enteri'ng at b is preferably heated in any known manner and its ten'ipera'ture preferably maintained substantially constant under different conditions as by means of a thermostat in accordance with usual practice. While the invention is not to be limited to the temperatures employed it has been found in practice that about 160 F. is a most effective temperature when the air is introduced into the metering device, such as the venturi b".

iii)

At this temperature sufiicient heat is supplied by the air to vaporize a large percentage of the fuel without expansion and subsequent rarefaction of the mixture. Practically all the heat supplied by the air will be absorbed in the vaporization of the fuel. After passing the metering device the mixture thus formed with the heavy ends in suspension pa. es on to the inlet manifold c. In accordance with the invention it is l'iroposed to withdraw the suspended heavy ends of the fuel including any that remains insufiiciently atomized or is condensed, subjecting such withdrawn portion to a vaporizing heat provided by devices which do not directly act on the on-flowing mixture and then returning such vaporized fuel to the mixture. To this end, there is provided in the inlet pipe 0, above the metering device an annular groove 0 which receives all such unevaporated liquid fuel. Centrally of the inlet pipe 0 there is preferably mounted a generally conical deflector d against which the mixture strikes and its atomization thereby facilitated. The form of this detlector (l is preferably such with relation to the groove 0 that as the mixture passes onward the liquid fuel therein will be thrown down into the groove 0 Further. any condensed liquid fuel which may accumulate in the manifold riser or its branches will also be trapped in this groove. additional deflector ribs 0 being formed in the wall of the pipe 0. For convenience, the riser 0 may be curved upwardly from the pipe 0 and afford a convenient support for the deflector cl. The groove 0 is inclined so that the liquid fuel condensed therein will flow by gravity into the improved vaporizing chamber 6 which is supported in juxtaposition to the pipe 0. A discharge spout 0 may facilitate the flow of liquid fuel from the low point in the groove 0 into the vaporizing chamber. Openings 0, e, in the pipe 0 and in the chamber 6 are disposed in alignment so as to facilitate the free flow of volatilized fuel from within the chamber 6 back into the mixture flowing through the riser c. The vaporizing chamber 6 proper is closed by an upper wall 6 which may be of irregular form to increase its superficial area and by a lower wall, 6 This chamber 6 is normally inclined to the horizontal and the lower wall a is preferably formed with a series of pockets 6 which the liquid fuel therein may overflow successively to reach the lowest level. The spout 0 will discharge into the highest pocket 6*. The effect of this construction is that if the chamber becomes tilted in use the liquid fuel will not flow back into the groove 0 Further a large surface thereof is exposed to facilitate evaporation as will appear. Surrounding the chamber e may be directly formed passages e a for exhaust gases, In the simplest construction the transverse walls e 6 of the vaporizing chamber 6 will be disposed within the walls of the exhaust channels so that the liquid fuel within the vaporizing chamber 6 is fully exposed at top and bottom to the heat of these gases. When vaporized the fuel will, of course. pass through the aligned openings 6, 0 back into the mixture the temperature of which is not directly affected by the exhaust which vaporize that portion of the fuel which is withdrawn from the mixture.

The method described insures the maintenance of the most favorable operating conditions for the internal combustion engine in that the mixture as finally introduced is atthat temperature and condition which insures a density making for maximum thermal efiiciency. The metering is done in accordance with conventional practice and at a temperature which is most conducive to the formation of an effectii e mixture and the withdrawal of the liquid particles. and vaporization and their reintroduction into the on-fiowing mixture are all accomplished without in any way interfering with or changing the advantageous conditions under which the atomized mixture flows on into the motor.

It is proposed, under the most advantageous conditions, to subject the liquid fuel within the chamber 6 to a vaporizing heat from the exhaust gases which may vary in temperature through a wide range. as from approximately 450 F. to 1425" F. It has now been established that hydrocarbon fuels when subjected to a temperature within this range will vaporize without undergoing any change in its physical properties and without cracking. In the preferred form of construction, therefore, the chamber 6 may be disposed directly within the main exhaust pipe although when applied to existing installations it may be convenient to divert a portion of the exhaust gases from the manifold f through a branch pipe f which communicates with the portion of the exhaust pipe indicated at e". In this construction the mouth of the pipe f may be disposed directly within the exhaust manifold f as shown more clearly in Figure 4.

One of the most important features of the invention will be understood by reference to Figure 2. As shown therein the lower wall 0 of the vaporizing chamber 6 is of comparatively thin metal at one end and of comparatively thick metal at the other end. Where this wall is inclined and formed with a series of overflow pockets the thin metal is preferably placed at the upper end and the thick metal at the lower end. The effect of this construction is that when the motor is first started, after being cold, the liquid fuel entrapped resting on the thin portion of the wall will be quickly vaporized, perhaps after a tow blasts of the exhaust across the thin metal. ()n the other hand. after the motor has been running tor some time, considerable heat stored up in the thicker part ot the wall where the mass ot metal is greatest. This mass of metal will retain its heat for a compr iratively long time and so serve to maintain a starting charge, ot vapor within the chamber. The invention is not to be limited to the particular i'orm ot th chamber nor to the relatioiiship of its walls but in its broadest aspect contemplates a disposition o t the metal which will meet the two conditions described:

Supplementary to the apparatus but not essential thereto is a l rating coil indicated in Figure 13 at Z which may be embedded in the wall c of the chamber 6 and have its leads 7. connect d with a source oti e ectricity for heating the chamber and volatilizing enough of the fuel entrapped therein tor starting when the motor is cold. To go a step further. it is practicable to provide an auxiliary source of supply indicated by the carburetor 7 and pipe 7 for delivering liquid fuel into the chamber (3 in order that; a starting charge independent of liquid entrapped by the chamber may be introduced into it at will.

As a manufacturing consideaition it may be convenient to cast the exhaust pipe c and the chamber 0 as a short section having a flange c for engagement with a flange t) on the Venturi section. In this way, some heat may be lead from the exhaust gases in the pipe e through the metal of the section c" by conduction to the metal of the Venturi section for maintaining etlicient temperature conditions in and about the metering device. The amount of heat thus transferred to the walls ot the metering device and its consequent temperature may be regulated by insulating the Venturi section more or less from the flange, e. as will be understoodhat l claim is:-

1. An apparatus for l'u-oducing a dry tuel mixture comprising a conduit adapted to be connected at one end to a metering device and at the other end to the cylinders of a combustion engine a stationary conical de tlector mounted centrally of said conduit and spaced trom the wall thereof to permit the on-tlow ot' the gaseous mixture, an annular groove in the wall of the conduit to receive deflected particles. an evaporating chamber separate and remote from the conduit. means for connecting the groove in the conduit to the evaporating chamber to conduct the liquid fuel collected in the groove to the evaporatina chamben a source ot heat co-operating with the evaporating chambe to vaporize the collected liquid fuel. and means tor returning the vaporized fuel to the conduit.

A structure according to claim 1 wherein the QW, porating chamber is provided with a wall upon which the liquid tuel collects. the wall varying progressively in thickness from tront to rear, with its greatest thickness at the rear thereof.

This specification signed this 18th day of April, A. D. 1922.

GUTTFRIED \VIRRER. 

